Mi Yodeya Stack Exchange
Mi Yodeya Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [names]

Questions about the purpose, meaning, halachos (rules), etc. of names.

779 questions
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Am I allowed to give my kid a non-Hebrew (non-Jewish?) name?

I'd seen some poster that said it's horribly wrong to ever give your kid a non-Jewish/non-Hebrew name. Is that the norm?
Shalom
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Jewish names that are not common

Why is it that many names of Tanoim and Amoroim are not commonly used? These were big Tzadikkim yet their names are almost unheard of. For example Tarfon, Chisda, Pupa, Avtalion, etc.
Gershon Gold
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Modern Hebrew/Yiddish Names

I heard recently that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky Shlita said that one should not name their children with modern hebrew names such as Shira and one should only give names from Tanach. I was also told that this is brought down in a sefer called "V'korey…
Jake
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Process by which one changes their name

Leaving aside the reasons why someone would change their name. Is there a process that a person needs to go through in doing so? At what point does the new name-change comes into effect?
bondonk
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Why is "Y'sachar Dov" a popular combination name?

Why are the names Dov and Ber frequently paired with the name Y'ssachar? Is it because that was the Belzer Rebbe's name or was his name part of a larger phenomenon?
WAF
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Why isn't "Adam" a traditional Hebrew name?

I can't think of many people who go by the Hebrew name Adam. Any guesses why?
Shalom
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Children's Names

I noticed a lot of times in the TaNaKh, how children were given specific names for a specific reason. Take Binyamin for example, his original name at birth was "Benoni" (son of my sorrow) but his father changed it to "son of my right hand". In…
BenKCohen
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Naming after two people

Can one person be given one name (as opposed to a double name) which is meant to "correspond" to two different deceased individuals? I.e. Chaim and Shprintza have a daughter. Chaim's grandmother was named Genendel and Shprintza's grandmother was…
Y     e     z
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The name of Adam, and his descendants

I've heard it said that Adam and his descendants all have names with very specific meanings, and that when the meanings are strung together they form a message in and of themselves. Is there any validity to this, and if so, what is the resulting…
Jonathan
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Jew with parents who do not have Hebrew names

If a person's parents names do not have a Hebrew equivalent, then what do you do when reciting a Mi Shebeirach for them? 1.) Let's suppose the parents are still alive. Would you ask them what they want their Hebrew name to be? 2.) The parents are…
ezra
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Why is the sun "Shemesh" in hebrew

I understand the word Shemesh comes from Shamash which means to serve. According to Jewish philosophy, why is the sun called a servant? Why is it more of a servant than the moon, or the wind, or even grass?
Tzvi
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Is Rami a legitimate Jewish name?

It seems like it is only used as a nickname for Avraham or Rakhamim, but can the name Rami be given to a Jewish male? I've seen the name given to rabbis in the gemarah (Rami Bar Hama and Rami Bar Pappa). However, it's hard to find someone these days…
Ani Yodea
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Getting a Jewish name

What is the procedure for giving a Jew a Jewish name if he or she was never given one at birth? Are there any sources that discuss this situation?
El Shteiger
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Is the name Kadesh a verb, and is Kodesh the proper way of spelling it?

My name is Kadesh, and I just finished getting my name trashed by some people saying my name is not a valid Jewish name because it is a verb...is that actually a problem with a Jewish name, and should the name Kadesh actually be "Kodesh"?
Kadesh
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Significance of Names

It is well known that one's name has profound significance regarding his/her essence. The name itself is important, as is the name along with the father's and mother's name. My question is, what other pieces of information would be important to an…
user25501
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